 With one of the world’s largest economies and a growing financial sector, China continues to rise as a global power. The country’s currency, the Chinese yuan (officially the Renminbi), is also starting to mature. The most recent evidence of this? The IMF’s decision to include the yuan as a part of its SDR international reserve asset, a basket of major world currencies:  Click To Enlarge
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A 'NxGen' Moment Inspires One To Move From Success to Significance
Typically prompted by a 'NxGen' moment, a NxGen Wealth perspective arises out of an 'inspired life'...a 'coming from heart' v. the 'greed is good' attitude born out of the 1970's; an attitude that culminated in a meltdown of our U.S. and world capital markets. Our debt-based economy and consumerist lifestyle are unsustainable. The good news is that nothing new needs to be created; only a going back to the 'wisdom of the ages' that speaks of living a simple, healthy, balanced and inspired life. Beyond traditional wealth management, NxGen Wealth Management is a holistic approach to wealth management and optimization. Your total wealth includes much more than just money. NxGen Wealth is about your total wealth that includes:
Today, while not a new concept, social-entrepreneurship or social enterprises are becoming increasingly popular. A social enterprise (either a for-profit or nonprofit enterprise) is one that utilizes business methods to achieve both a social or environmental objective and profitability.
 In today's economy, mobile users are "on the go". 24/7 they are searching the mobile web for the very products or services you might be offering. Is your business visible to them? And, what do you look like on their mobile device? Oh, and remember, they want more than just information, a phone number or directions...they are looking for 'an experience'...a solution or answer and an opportunity to easily and simply engage and do business...even on their mobile phones!. If you are not delivering an exceptional 'mobile experience'...your are losing the business to your competitors! AND, part of the experience is the "best on the cheap"! Is this solution right for your business? Customized "Best On The Cheap" For Business Owners & Professional Advisors After we understand your business & target customers, we utilize "best practices" in mobile & social marketing. Using our proprietary "mobile marketing tools" we design for you a mobile marketing system to exponentially grow your social capital and business! "Building NxGen Wealth A Click At A Time" 
While doing some optimization work for one of my clients this last week I noticed some major changes to Google's Local Search results that were directly impacting my client's listing.
Background: Starting in June of this year, 2015, our marketing group created a keyword-optimized website and a "Google My Business" listing that leverages Google Maps, Google+, Google Search, YouTube, Reviews and Posts. In a matter of days the website achieved #1, #2, and #3 ranking on Google's 1st page for the client's primary keyword and location. And, by mid-July our happy client was ranking in the top 7 firms in Google's Local Search; or, what has been known as Google's 7-Pack Map Listings for local search results. Clearly we were pleased with achieving the early rankings. Starting first with 'keyword' research and then integrating website elements that leverage content, authority, social proof, and call-to-action for maximum conversion to achieve the client's objectives is the secret. The mid-July results for the top three rankings in Google's organic search for our client's primary keyword and location can be seen here: see client's Google Page #1 Ranking.
Google's Changes: While still savoring this immediate success in creating and ranking our client's 'online properties', by the end of July our fortunes had changed. Google had eliminated the 7-Pack Map Listings for local search and changed to a 3-Pack with a different format. The only good news is that our client maintained its ranking in Google's new 3-Pack. Can you imagine the 'heart-burn' of the four firms that were dropped by Google? See Client's new profile and ranking. My Take: While Google continues to revolutionalize online marketing. We've all got to change and adjust our digital-marketing strategies. To throw more money into traditional marketing or even internet marketing methods such as SEO, social media, content or paid media without, first, taking into consideration Google’s recent changes makes no sense. Yet, most business owners & marketing experts are unaware of these Google ‘game changers’ that significantly impact their online traffic, conversions and client revenue. Through these Google changes what seems to be constant is the importance and value of building and marketing an online "5-Star" reputation. Google has recently announced that a firm's 'star rating' will now be included in PPC advertising; and, it seems it will make a real difference on which 3 businesses get into the new 3-Pack. To see how important a firm's reputation or online star-rating is to Google, click here to see how online Customer Reviews factor in to Google's new 3-Pack format. Moving forward how important do you think it will be for your business to build and manage an online "5-Star" Reputation? In brief, the one thing we know for certain is that Google's new 3-Pack will lead to fewer phone calls and sales for those businesses that appear in the fourth position or lower. But it might lead to more business for those in the first three results; especially if those businesses are showing "5-Star" raving reviews! To see how we are countering Google's most recent changes with our new NxGen PressRelease Marketing strategy, click here. For more details and current information on how to incorporate Google's changes into your online digital assets and marketing results contact Greg Johnson.
 Reputation Risk Ranks As Top Strategic Risk
Online consumer ‘search behavior’ empowered with internet technology is disruptive to traditional business models. In the past “traditional” media helped your business grow...but, no more. Yellow Pages, Newspapers, TV, Radio & Magazines are all experiencing their biggest declines in history. Today, while Social Media, Mobile, Video, SEO & Internet Marketing are essential to being competitive in today’s marketplace….it's a "5-Star" Online Reputation that actually builds trust and motivates a customer to engage with your business. For example, did you know that Searching for any Company Name & City Reveals the Company’s Reputation!
Exploring Strategic Risk As reported by the WSJ, in a recently released global survey, Exploring Strategic Risk, Deloitte identifes “Reputational Risk” as the number one risk for businesses. Just three years ago Reputational Risk ranked 3rd to brand and economic trends for strategic risk according to companies surveyed back in 2010. Today it is the key strategic risk identified by senior executives. This rise of reputational risk is seen by senior executives as key threat to their business models. It is a reflection of the fact that social media has become a major disruptive technology. Nearly 50% listed social media above other technologies such as analytics, mobile applications and cyber-attacks. Henry Ristuccia, a Deloitte Global Leader, says...“The rise of reputation as the prime strategic risk is a natural reaction to recent high-profile reputational crises, as well as the speed of digital and social media and the potential loss of control that accompanies it...the only sector where reputation hasn’t risen as a strategic risk factor is financial services where it was already #1 following the financial crisis and subsequent fallout.” According to the Deloitte report, attention and investment in strategic risk management at senior management levels is growing. However, the major challenge is to move beyond just traditional operational, financial and compliance risk and supplement business strategy with ‘strategic risk management. Technology Viewed as Both an Opportunity and a Strategic Risk After reputation, companies identified their business model as the second highest strategic risk in 2013, and forecast this to remain the case in 2016. The role of technology is a primary concern as more than 50% of companies surveyed believe that... “technology enablers and disrupters are emerging that could threaten their established business models.” Mr. Ristuccia explains...“The risks of social media are well-known, but concern about how new technologies affect the core business model is also top-of-mind.” Strategic Risk Management (SRM) Is Evolving Strategic risk management is constantly evolving as nearly all of the companies surveyed (94%) have changed their approach to strategic risk management over the past three years. Presently, 66% of firms surveyed have established a common definition of strategic risk. More companies in Asia-Pacific, and the technology, energy and financial services sectors have done so than elsewhere. When asked which strategic assets they are investing in to counter perceived strategic risks, companies identified human capital (47%), brand name and reputation (32%) and customer capital (26%) as key items. Again, Mr. Ristuccia notes: “One of the most critical strategic risks is the ability to keep pace with innovation...companies that fail to keep pace may soon discover that a competitor’s innovation has become a major disruption to their business model.” Yes, the Way Consumers Find Your Business Has Changed FOREVER! However, most business owners are 'blindsided' with bad reviews or even no reviews; and revenue loss. As Deloitt’s survey suggests, it’s time to investigate what it takes to ‘build, market & monitor’ a “5-Star" Reputation and implement a "Reputation-Risk Strategy"  Globally, we are in transition. Technology is rapidly shaping every aspect of our lives into a more mobile, social and collective-connected way. Daily we discover new insights as to how our every 'footprint' on the web and smartphone 'search and call' are being tracked. Our 'online' presence & activity are fast becoming the 'building blocks' that will be used to measure, quantify and ultimately build our personal and or business "reputation score".
 While the concept of a 'virtual & mobile' family-office might still be in the conceptual stages, today's mobile technology is proving itself to be an effective tool for creators and builders of wealth.
In her article for the Campden Wealth entitled, The Wealthy? You'll Find Them On The Internet, Giulia Cambieri summarizes some very compelling facts taken from a study by wealth management firm SEI, Standard Chartered Private Bank and research company Scorpio Partnership, which surveyed more than 3,400 individuals with an average net worth of $1.9 million (€1.47 million). |
